FIFA 2026 World Cup Host Cities Announced

[Jesse Szakacs]

Hello again! As you guy might know already, the cities that will be hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the U.S. will be: What are your guys thoughts on the non-California markets? I was thinking something more like Kansas City, Philadelphia, and Atlanta? Thanks.

[David Robertson]

The 2026 World Cup is an extremely big deal for Kansas City which is a relatively small market.  In fact, KC ranks 33rd in media market size in the US.

The main reason KC won the World Cup bid, was because it is the "soccer capital of the US".  We have world class soccer stadiums and training facilities (Sporting KC, KC Current), as well as a huge soccer fan base.

There are major infrastructure and development projects going on in the urban core that will transform KC over the next 4 years leading up to hosting the World Cup.

- New international airport (completion 2023)

- New Kansas City Current women's soccer stadium

- New women's soccer training facility

- New Royals downtown baseball stadium (TBD)

- New downtown baseball entertainment district (TBD)

- Street car extension to the Plaza

- Street car extension to NKC (TBD)

- New Buck O'Neil Bridge (2024)

- Old Buck O'Neil Bridge Renovation/Park (TBD)

- Arrowhead Stadium renovations to accommodate World Cup

- Arrowhead Stadium entertainment district??? (TBD)

- Downtown South Loop Cap/Park

- West Bottoms New Master Planned Development